Under protest and extreme duress the Encinitas City Council denies two appeals made to stop the proposed Quail Meadows development during their February 12th meeting.

In a 3-1 vote, the council upheld the Planning Commission’s approval of a 448-unit development on Quail Gardens Drive, which includes 90 affordable units, after denying two appeals by local groups Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER) and Encinitas Citizens for Responsible Development.

The council had two bad choices as outlined by Barbara Kautz, a land use attorney with Goldfarb Lipman who regularly consults the city on housing matters. She said the council had no realistic option to reject the project without exposing the city to lawsuits from the developer, Baldwin & Sons, and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

Kautz further noted that the state could also revoke the city’s certified Housing Element, triggering Builder’s Remedy, a provision allowing developers to bypass local zoning laws and build high-density projects of up to 160 units per acre in any part of the city, including in low-density residential areas.

Below is a link to an article in The Coast News with more details:

https://thecoastnews.com/under-protest-and-duress-encinitas-reluctantly-advances-quail-meadows/

This is likely to be appealed to the Coastal Commission next with an uncertain outcome. Further updates on this development will be provided.